Job Description

Our client is looking for an experienced Factory Manager to lead end-to-end Central Kitchen operations, overseeing Production, Maintenance, Cost Control, Operational Efficiency and Regulatory Compliance.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead daily production operations and drive production stability, yield improvement, waste reduction and process discipline
• Identify bottlenecks and implement Kaizen / continuous improvement initiatives
• Oversee manpower productivity, material utilisation and utility costs
• Lead Maintenance to maximise equipment uptime and reduce breakdowns
• Implement preventive maintenance and manage external equipment vendors
• Ensure production plans are executed according to demand and capacity
• Optimise manpower allocation and ensure readiness for new production lines
• Ensure compliance with HACCP, GMP, HALAL, MESTI, ISO, DOSH, DOE and BOMBA
• Lead regulatory audits, inspections and maintain an audit-ready facility
• Oversee outbound readiness, including packing, labelling, staging, batch traceability and dispatch timelines
• Prepare and manage Central Kitchen OPEX budgets and monitor actual vs budget performance
• Develop cost-per-unit assumptions based on yield, manpower and operational efficiency
• Track key KPIs including output, waste, productivity and downtime
• Lead and develop Production and Maintenance teams, strengthening supervisory capabilities and accountability
• Collaborate closely with Commercial, Procurement and QA/QC teams to ensure smooth operations

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree/Diploma in Food Science, Food Technology, Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management or a related field
• 8–12 years of experience in manufacturing, production, plant or factory management, preferably within food manufacturing, FMCG or central kitchen operations
• Proven experience managing Production and Maintenance functions
• Strong understanding of food manufacturing processes, production planning, yield, waste reduction and cost control
• Hands-on experience in driving OEE, productivity, downtime reduction and continuous improvement / Kaizen
• Strong knowledge of HACCP, GMP, HALAL, MESTI and ISO requirements
• Familiarity with DOSH, DOE and BOMBA regulatory requirements and audit processes
• Experience managing production manpower, supervisors and frontline teams
• Strong exposure to budgeting, OPEX management, cost-per-unit analysis and variance control
• Experience with preventive maintenance, equipment reliability and vendor management
• Strong understanding of batch traceability, dispatch readiness and production-to-delivery coordination
• Data-driven with the ability to monitor and improve output, waste, labour productivity and downtime KPIs